Perhaps there is no smoker who has not tried at least once to quit. Unfortunately, few people manage to do it on the first try. What can help once and for all to get rid of a bad habit?
psychological addiction
Smoking forms not only physiological but also psychological dependence. It is believed that the craving for nicotine itself disappears within a month after the last cigarette is smoked. However, many return to smoking after a long period of time, feeling that the body needs a dose of nicotine.
This is because the brain tricks the body into buying a pack of cigarettes again and taking a drag. Smoking is a kind of conditioned reflex. A person gets used to smoking while relaxing or to relieve tension, and a cup of coffee with a cigarette becomes a familiar morning ritual.
How to help yourself get rid of psychological addiction? The first thing you can try to do is replace one ritual with another. For example, instead of smoking during your break from work, drink a cup of green tea.
If the smoker works from home rather than the office, the urge to smoke can be alleviated with exercise, such as doing some sit-ups. Also, when there is an urge to inhale, you can make a habit of brushing your teeth. Of course, at the beginning you will have to do this quite often, but this trick goes a long way in "cheating" the brain, replacing one ritual with another.
Quitting smoking helps very well not alone, but with like-minded people. For example, there are forums on the Internet where people inspire each other to give up bad habits. There you can start a special counter that shows how long a person has not smoked and how much money he has saved.
This creates a visible motivation to quit, as within a month it will be noticeable that quitting has saved a significant amount that can be spent on something enjoyable.
Sometimes people who stop smoking are "tempted" by others, for example co-workers who claim that it is impossible to stop smoking because they themselves failed or remind the person of their previous unsuccessful attempts.
It is advisable not to laugh at this, but to ask others not to say such words. They can actually lead to the fact that a person's motivation decreases and there is a lack of self-confidence. Also, any unnecessary reminder of smoking leads to the desire to take at least one drag.
It helps to stop smoking the absence of objects that resemble cigarettes in the visibility zone. It's best to throw ashtrays and lighters outside and wash clothes that smell like tobacco smoke.
physiological addiction
Getting rid of physiological dependence can be quite difficult, some people in the first few days may even experience a withdrawal-like state. To make it easier for you to withdraw from nicotine, you should see a doctor who will prescribe you special pills that help relieve the symptoms of smoking cessation. Also, chewing gum or patches can be purchased at any drugstore as they contain a small amount of nicotine and make it easier to survive withdrawal symptoms.
If a person is not feeling well after deciding to quit smoking, hot baths can help relieve tension.
You can get a massage or even start taking mild sedatives. It is especially important to find a way to relieve tension in the first few days, when the cravings for smoking will be felt most strongly.